of artillery, and some cannon, were landed at Boston, and encamped on the common; and they had been gradually reinforced by several regiments from Ireland, New York, Halifax and Quebec. Things assumed a warlike aspect; a guard was stationed on Boston neck, and the fortifications at the entrance of the town were repaired and manned. On the 1st of September, Gage sent a detachment to take possession of the powder in the arsenal at Charleston. These measures carefully noted by an irritated people, rendered consultation necessary. Delegates assembled for that purpose in Suffolk, and passed a number of spirited resolutions, declaring "their intended opposition to the parliamentary measures," and that "no obedience is due from the province to either or any of the said acts, but that they should be rejected as the attempts of a wicked administration, to enslave America." These bold resolutions were subsequently adopted by the Continental Congress.

N the month of August, a copy of the act of parliament altering the constitution of Massachusetts Bay, and commissions from the king to those who were to compose the new council, in room of that which had been chosen by the assembly, reached Boston, and threw the town and neighborhood into a state of the greatest fermentation and confusion. The courts of justice were suspended, because the grand juries refused to take the oaths; and the petty juries declined serving, because Mr. Oliver the chief justice had been impeached by a late house of commons of the province, and because the judges of the superior court had been made dependent on the crown. In some places the people assembled in large bodies, and took possession of the court-houses and avenues leading to them, so that neither judge nor officer could gain admittance; and when the sheriff commanded them to make way for the court, they replied, "We know no court, nor any other establishment, independent of the ancient laws and usages of our country; and to no other will we submit or give way on any account.'

General Gage endeavored to call in religion to the aid of his government; but the irritation of his temper defeated the scheme of his policy. He issued a proclamation to encourage piety and virtue, and to prohibit and punish profaneness and immorality; classing hypocrisy among the immoralities. This the people of Boston considered a gross insult; and probably felt the insinuation the more keenly, in proportion to their deep estimate of religious observances.

The events of almost every day tended not only to keep alive but to

increase the mutual irritation. The inhabitants of Salem were invited by a hand-bill to meet on the 25th of August, in order to concert measures for opposing the late acts of parliament. On the 24th, the governor issued a proclamation prohibiting the meeting. But the proclamation was disregarded: the people asssembled. Troops were sent to disperse them; but before the arrival of the troops the business was finished, and the assembly dissolved.

It was clear that the time for protesting and remonstrating was over. The colonists had boldly asserted their rights, during a long period of consummate tyranny, in which the British government had acted as if the provinces were only valuable in proportion to the amount they yielded to swell the enormous revenue of the mother country. The safety and happiness of the people seemed to them a secondary object. They were now to feel the vengeance of those "who knew their rights and knowing, dared maintain them." The patriot statesmen had done all in their power to secure redress for the wrongs of the colonists, by peaceable measures. But wisdom and eloquence had reached the ears of the British ministry only to be disregarded, and they had now no remedy but to appeal to the sword—and trust in the justice of their cause and the strength of armies.

T

HE purpose of the colonists, in the struggle they foresaw, was to throw upon the British the responsibility of the first appeal to force. In this they were successful. A considerable quantity of military stores having been collected at Concord, a town in the interior, about eighteen miles from Boston, General Gage determined to seize them. On the night preceding the 19th of April, 1775, he detached Lieutenant-colonel Smith and Major Pitcairn, with 800 grenadiers and light infantry for the

execution of this design. At about 11 o'clock, the troops crossed the river Charles and commenced a silent and rapid march for Concord. In spite of the precautions of the British, the patriot leaders of Boston found means to alarm the country, and on the arrival of the troops at Lexington, about five in the morning, upwards of 70 men—the minute-men of that town-were found on parade, under arms. Major Pitcairn, who led the van of the regulars, galloped up to them, and called out, "Disperse, disperse, you rebels; throw down your arms and disperse!" The sturdy yeomanry remaining firm, he advanced nearer, fired his pistol, and ordered his troops to fire, which they did,

with a loud huzza. Several of the provincials fell, and the rest dispersed. The firing continued, however, and the fugitives returned it as they fled. In all, eight Americans were killed, and several wounded.

HE British detachment proceeded to Concord. The minutemen had received the alarm, and drew up in order for defence. But seeing the number of the regulars, they retreated over the north bridge, a short distance from the town. A party of British light infantry followed, while the main body proceeded to destroy the stores. Two 24 pounders were spiked, 500 pounds of balls thrown into the river and wells, and 60 barrels of flour broken in pieces. Meanwhile, the militia being reinforced, Major Buttrick, of Concord, assumed the command, and they advanced towards the bridge. The light infantry now retired to the Concord side of the river, and commenced pulling up the bridge. As the militia approached, the regulars fired upon them, killing a captain and one of the privates. The provincials returned the fire, and, after a short but severe contest, forced the regulars to commence their retreat to Boston. But the whole country was now alarmed, and the retreating troops were exposed to a destructive fire in the rear and on the flanks. The militia, sheltering themselves behind trees, fences and stone-walls, and availing themselves of their superior knowledge of the country, kept up a galling fire, until